Rail-joint.



B. A. TOLGEN.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION TILED {JULY 6, 1911.

1,020,525, Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

AHHIIHIIIIIIIIIIII/ JJQ K Q Q COLUMBIA FLANOGRAMI COHWAS c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

EDWARD A. TOLGEN, OF MINOT, NORTH DAKOTA.

RAIL-JOINT.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD A. TOLGEN, citizen of the United States, residing at Minot, in the county of Ward and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in rail joints, and the object of the invention is to unite the meeting ends of companion rail sections in a particularly simple and reliable manner without the use of bolts or like fastening devices, thereby obviating the necessity of employing track walkers to inspect and tighten the bolts from time to time and hence effecting a material economy in the cost of maintenance of the track.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved chair which may be readily applied to the meeting ends of the rail sections and which serves both to thoroughly brace the sections against lateral strains and to rigidly support the sections to insure against any sagging at the joint, the rail sections being positively confined in the chair but being free to move longitudinally therein to compensate for expansion and contraction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a joint which is quite strong and durable and which affords a practically continuous tread surface in order to prevent excessive wear on the ends of the rail sections and eliminate the disagreeable and injurious pounding of the wheels of the rolling stock as they pass over the joint.

WVith these and other objects in view as will more fully'appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain constructions, arrangements and combinations of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional perspective view of a rail joint constructed in accordance with my invention; F ig. 2 is a transverse section; Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the meeting end of one of the companion rail sections; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of the chair; and Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Corresponding and like parts are referred Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 6, 1911.

Patented Mar. 19, 1912.

Serial No. 637,142.

to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawing by the same reference characters.

The present invention includes a pair of companion rail sections 1, each of which is of conventional form, except as hereinafter noted, and comprises a head 2, web 3 and base flange 4. At the meeting ends of the rail sections the webs are thickened, as indicated at 5, flush with both sides of the heads, so that said ends of the rail sections are substantially of uniform thickness from their tread surfaces to their base flanges. On each side of and coextensive with the thickened webs, the base flanges are thickened and have their upper faces approxiare not thickened throughout the length of the rail sections but only for a predetermined distance from the ends, said parts being reduced in thickness intermediate of the ends of the rail sections and the upper faces of the base flanges being inclined outwardly and downwardly, instead of being square, to enable spikes engaging over their edges to be driven well down into the cross-ties. The extremities of the thickened ends of the rail sections are formed with recesses 7 on opposite sides of the rail, each recess extending the full height of the rail and half way across the same and providing a longitudinally projecting tongue 8 and a square shoulder 9 at. the inner end of the tongue. The inner faces of the tongues lie in vertical planes and abut against each other with the tongues in overlapping relation, the extremity of one tongue being adapted to bear against the shoulder at the inner end of the other tongue. This forms a scarf joint between the rail sections and thereby affords a practically continuous tread surface, which, is of course, quite advantageous as it insures against undue wear on the ends of the rail sections and eliminates the disagreeable and injurious pounding of the wheels of the rolling stock as they pass over the joint.

The thickened ends of the rail sections are coupled together through the medium of a chair comprising a base plate 10 and a pair of longitudinal cheeks 11 upstanding from the base plate in transversely spaced relation, the rail sections resting upon the base plate between the cheeks with the joint 10- cated midway between the ends of the chair. The base plate provides a rigid support for the rail sections for a considerable distance on both sides of the joint, so that the liability of the rails sagging at the joint is effectually precluded. The cheeks are formed in their inner faces, just above their juncture with the base plate with longitudinal grooves 12 which are square in cross section and receive the thickened portions of the base flanges of the rail sections, the upper portions of the cheeks overhanging the grooves and provid ing downwardly facing shoulders that bear evenly upon the upwardly facing shoulders 6 for the purpose of resisting any upward movement of the rail sections in the chair. The grooves extend throughout the entire length of the chair and open outwardly through the ends of the cheeks. Above the grooves the inner faces of the cheeks are approximately vertical and bear snugly against the outer faces of the thickened web portions 5, whereby to confine the rail sections in alinernent and to brace the same against lateral strains. Preferably the cheek on the outer side of the rail is of greater height than the other cheek, as it thus obtains a more effective bearing on the rail sections to guard against side thrust and any possible lateral tilting movement of the rail at curves in the track. The outer faces of the cheeks are rounded to slope downwardly and outwardly to shed rain water and other foreign matter accumulating thereon.

While the chair fits around the rail sec-' tions to confine the same in alinement, it is in nowise positively secured thereto as it has been found desirable to leave the rails free to move longitudinally in the chair to com pensate for expansion and contraction. By avoiding the use of bolts orlike fastening devices there is no danger of unduly weakening the rail sections, and furthermore it becomes unnecessary to employ track walkers to inspect the bolts and tighten the same from time to time. As a result a material economy is effected in both the initial cost of the track and the cost of maintenance thereof. As best seen in Fig. 5 one or more outlet openings 13 are formed in the base plate 10 below the scarf joint to provide I means of escape for foreign matter collecting between the ends of the rail sections when the same are spaced apart within the chair. Vithout these outlet openings rain water and the like would stand in the chair and would thus cause the sections to rust and would otherwise injure the parts and hinder the free longitudinal movement of the rail sections in the chair.

The base plate projects laterally outwardly beyond the cheeks 11 to constitute attaching flanges 14 the outer edges of which are notched, as indicated at 15, to receive spikes 16 that attach the chair to one or more cross-ties 17. In the present instance the chair rests on three cross ties in order to have a firm support, the upper faces of the ties being recessed as indicated at 18 to provide seats for the chair and to compensate for the thickness of the base plate 10. The attaching flanges increase the width of the base plate, whereby to afford a broader bearing on the cross-ties to increase the stability of the joint.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawing it will be seen that I have provided a joint which is quite simple and durable and consists of comparatively few parts. To assemble the parts it is merely necessary to slip the chair longitudinally on the meeting end of one rail section so that it is entirely positioned on such rail section and does not project longitudinally therebeyond. The meeting ends of the two rail sections are then associated, after which the chair is slipped longitudinally to span the joint and y The I with both sides of their heads, and also having their base flanges thickened coextensive to said thickened webs to provide upwardly facing square shoulders, of a chair comprising a base plate supporting the meeting ends of the rail sections, and co-acting cheeks upstanding from the base plate and overhanging the square shoulders and abutting against the faces of the thickened webs.

2. In a rail joint, the combination with a pair of companion rail sections having their webs thickened at their meeting ends flush with both sides of their heads, and also having their base flanges thickened coextensive to said thickened webs to provide upwardly facing square shoulders, of a chair comprisagainst the faces of the thickened webs, the cheek on one side of the rail being extended upwardly above the other cheek to obtain a broad bearing on the rail sections, as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a rail joint, the combination of a pair of companion rail sections having their Webs thlckened at their meeting ends flush with both sides of their heads, and also having their base flanges thickened on each side of said thickened webs to provide upwardly facing square shoulders, the thickened ends of the rail sections being recessed on opposite sides of the rail to provide mating 1ongitudinal tongues overlapping to form a scarf joint, of a chair comprising a base plate supporting the meeting ends of the rail sections, and coacting cheeks upstanding from the base plate and formed in their inner faces with longitudinal grooves receiving said thickened portions of the base flanges, the upper portions of the cheeks overhanging the grooves and bearing upon the upwardly facing square shoulders and also abutting against the faces of the thickened webs.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD A. TOLGEN. [L. s] Witnesses:

R. J. WILSON, G. S. Rmsrms.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

